An ad-supported Netflix offering may not download titles. This is done to make ad-free offerings more interesting and/or because offline ad integration is technically difficult.
Netflix’s ad-supported offering, due out soon, may not be the best solution for those who are often on the move and/or offline regularly. Indeed, developer Steve Moser found text in the streaming service’s iPhone app code that explicitly states, “Downloads are available on all plans except Netflix with ads. “
Ad-supported Netflix offer may skip downloading titles
If users are unable to download content to their device using this offer, it means that they will not be able to watch their current movies and TV shows offline. Netflix has neither confirmed nor denied the absence of this offline viewing, but the platform told TechCrunch the following:
We are still deciding how to launch a cheaper ad-supported offering, a final decision has not yet been made. At the moment this is all pure speculation.
This is to make the offers without ads more interesting.
In July, Netflix co-CEO and chief content officer Ted Sarandos acknowledged during a financial results meeting that this future subscription offering will not offer all of the platform’s content at launch. The company has yet to renegotiate some agreements with studios in order to be able to offer its films and series with ads. Similarly, the lack of offline viewing could easily and legitimately be explained by Netflix’s desire to make its ad-free offerings interesting.
and/or because integrating offline advertising is technically difficult
As TechCrunch points out, serving ads in offline content can also be technically difficult. Either way, Netflix won’t be the only ad-supported streaming service that doesn’t offer offline viewing. HBO Max and Hulu, for example, don’t offer this feature. However, if Netflix’s announcement is to be believed, things could still change by the time the offer officially launches early next year.